CPU frequency scaling isnt workin

[Tomi Urankar]

Binary package hint: powernowd

I cant get POWERNOW to work on DAPPER x32 or Feisty or Gutsy. Here are the outputs:
[CODE]tom@lea:~$ dmesg |grep 'power'
[4294696.939000] powernow-k8: Found 1 AMD Athlon 64 / Opteron processors (version 1.50.4)
[4294696.943000] powernow-k8: BIOS error - no PSB or ACPI _PSS objects
tom@lea:~$ sudo /etc/init.d/powernowd restart
 * Stopping powernowd: [ ok ]
 * Starting powernowd... * CPU frequency scaling not supported
                                                                         [ ok ]
tom@lea:~$ uname -a
Linux lea 2.6.15-22-k7 #1 SMP PREEMPT Sun May 7 17:27:47 UTC 2006 i686 GNU/Linuxtom@lea:~$
[/CODE]
The LAPPY is chiliGREEN D400k:
AMD Sempron 3000+, 1,8 GHz, 512 MB RAM, 60 GB disk, DVD-RW.

[Tomi Urankar (tomi0)]

anyone

[piccobello (piccobello)]

Given the kernel you're using this could be (related to)
this bug:

https://launchpad.net/distros/ubuntu/+source/linux-source-2.6.15/+bug/36014

[JAdshead (jads)]

I have exactly the same problem.. under edgy (2.6.17-11-generic) and under feisty (2.6.20-11-generic).

I know the 'powernow-k8' module used to successfully load on this same CPU/Motherboard/BIOS (Athlon64 3000+ / MSI K8T Neo2 FIR) in an older version of Ubuntu.. (I'm guessing that was breezy, but not 100% sure).. so it's definitely a regression.

[JAdshead (jads)]

... ps. the edgy kernel was 'amd64' variety, the feisty kernel is 'x86' variety, both produce the same error:
powernow-k8: Found 1 AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3000+ processors (version 2.00.00)
powernow-k8: BIOS error - no PSB or ACPI _PSS objects

[greenjag (mikhailkopytine)]

I see the same symptoms on AMD Mobile Athlon 64 3700+, ASUS Z80K 2.6.17-10-generic kernel, out-of-the-box installation of ubuntu 6.10.
BIOS version 0208.003.
PowerNow! is enabled in the BIOS, frequency scaling worked uder Windows XP with CPU RightMark.

More info:

k@tt-z80k:~$ sudo dmesg | grep -i power
Password:
[ 18.500242] ACPI: Power Resource [GFAN] (off)
[ 49.534598] ACPI: Power Button (FF) [PWRF]
[ 49.534633] ACPI: Power Button (CM) [PWRB]
[ 49.873456] powernow-k8: Found 1 AMD Athlon 64 / Opteron processors (version 1.60.2)
[ 49.880367] powernow-k8: BIOS error - no PSB or ACPI _PSS objects
k@tt-z80k:~$ sudo /etc/init.d/powernowd restart
 * Stopping powernowd: [ ok ]
 * Starting powernowd... /etc/init.d/powernowd: 156: cannot create /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/scaling_governor: Directory nonexistent
 * CPU frequency scaling not supported
                                                                         [ ok ]
k@tt-z80k:~$ ls /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/
crash_notes topology
k@tt-z80k:~$ sudo mkdir /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/
mkdir: cannot create directory `/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/': Operation not permitted
k@tt-z80k:~$
k@tt-z80k:~$ uname -a
Linux tt-z80k 2.6.17-10-generic #2 SMP Fri Oct 13 15:34:39 UTC 2006 x86_64 GNU/Linux
k@tt-z80k:~$ more /proc/cpufreq
/proc/cpufreq: No such file or directory
k@tt-z80k:~$ more /proc/cpuinfo
processor : 0
vendor_id : AuthenticAMD
cpu family : 15
model : 4
model name : AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3700+
stepping : 10
cpu MHz : 2393.851
cache size : 1024 KB
fpu : yes
fpu_exception : yes
cpuid level : 1
wp : yes
flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse
sse2 syscall nx mmxext lm 3dnowext 3dnow up
bogomips : 4790.73
TLB size : 1024 4K pages
clflush size : 64
cache_alignment : 64
address sizes : 40 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
power management: ts fid vid ttp

k@tt-z80k:~$ lsmod | grep cpu
cpufreq_userspace 6560 0
cpufreq_stats 9312 0
freq_table 7104 1 cpufreq_stats
cpufreq_powersave 3456 0
cpufreq_ondemand 10928 0
cpufreq_conservative 11272 0
k@tt-z80k:~$ modprobe powernow-k8
FATAL: Error inserting powernow_k8 (/lib/modules/2.6.17-10-generic/kernel/arch/x86_64/kernel/cpufreq/powernow-k8.ko): Operation not permitted
k@tt-z80k:~$ grep -i power /var/log/messages
May 31 11:33:56 tt-z80k kernel: [ 3725.267571] powernow-k8: Found 1 AMD Athlon 64 / Opteron processors (version 1.60.2)
May 31 11:36:05 tt-z80k kernel: [ 3853.632256] powernow-k8: Found 1 AMD Athlon 64 / Opteron processors (version 1.60.2)
May 31 15:12:36 tt-z80k kernel: [ 5.640266] ACPI: Power Resource [GFAN] (off)
May 31 15:12:36 tt-z80k kernel: [ 37.021556] ACPI: Power Button (FF) [PWRF]
May 31 15:12:36 tt-z80k kernel: [ 37.021592] ACPI: Power Button (CM) [PWRB]
May 31 15:12:36 tt-z80k kernel: [ 37.361502] powernow-k8: Found 1 AMD Athlon 64 / Opteron processors (ve...

[johonbravo (jonathan-enns)]

I am getting the same error using Gutsy Gibbon on a Celeron M.

It gives the error on boot and I cannot boot to a graphical login. Only have access to terminal via alt F2

[ugaciaka (ugaciaka)]

i confirm this bug...i have intel dual core

[Francisco Soster (kowal.flecha)]

Same problem here:

$ dmesg | grep powernow

[ 58.990097] powernow-k8: Found 1 AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3000+ processors (version 2.00.00)
[ 58.997274] powernow-k8: BIOS error - no PSB or ACPI _PSS objects

$ uname -a
Linux neo2 2.6.22-14-generic #1 SMP Sun Oct 14 23:05:12 GMT 2007 i686 GNU/Linux

$ cat /proc/cpuinfo
processor : 0
vendor_id : AuthenticAMD
cpu family : 15
model : 47
model name : AMD Athlon(tm) 64 Processor 3000+
stepping : 0
cpu MHz : 1808.834
cache size : 512 KB
fdiv_bug : no
hlt_bug : no
f00f_bug : no
coma_bug : no
fpu : yes
fpu_exception : yes
cpuid level : 1
wp : yes
flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 syscall n
x mmxext fxsr_opt lm 3dnowext 3dnow up pni ts fid vid ttp tm stc
bogomips : 3619.98
clflush size : 64

$ sudo /etc/init.d/powernowd restart
 * Stopping powernowd: [ OK ]
 * Starting powernowd... /etc/init.d/powernowd: 156: cannot create /sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0//cpufreq/scaling_governor: Directory nonexistent
 * CPU frequency scaling not supported

[Daniel Hahler (blueyed)]

Francisco, googling for your error gives http://gentoo-wiki.com/HOWTO_PowerNow! - which says:
"""If you get an error like this:
powernow-k8: BIOS error - no PSB or ACPI _PSS objects

Then probably you don't have the Cool'n'Quiet enabled in the BIOS. People have also reported that they get the same error even if the option is set correctly. You should ensure your BIOS has support for the feature, since the linux driver needs frequency tables (PSB) or ACPI methods (_PSS) to work. Then try if upgrading your BIOS solves the issue. If you have this error, make sure that you have ACPI Processor support enabled in your kernel, the non-ACPI ways is disabled on SMP bioses (including those that support X2 processors) and deprecated by AMD."""

[clickwir (clickwir)]

That's nice they tell you to enable that stuff in your BIOS. But doesn't address people that state that it already works in another OS (XP) or in a previous version of K/Ubuntu.

Like me, CPU frequency scaling on my AMD laptop worked find in Gutsy, but Hardy tells me there's something wrong with the BIOS. XP and Gutsy worked fine, what's wrong with Hardy?

[clickwir (clickwir)]

clickwir@lappy:~$ sudo /etc/init.d/powernowd restart
 * Stopping powernowd: [ OK ]
 * Starting powernowd... * CPU frequency scaling not supported... [ OK ]

clickwir@lappy:~$ sudo powernowd
powernowd: PowerNow Daemon v0.97, (c) 2003-2006 John Clemens
powernowd: Found 1 scalable unit: -- 1 'CPU' per scalable unit
/sys/devices/system/cpu/cpu0/cpufreq/cpuinfo_max_freq: No such file or directory

clickwir@lappy:~$ uname -a
Linux lappy 2.6.24-17-generic #1 SMP Thu May 1 14:31:33 UTC 2008 i686 GNU/Linux

clickwir@lappy:~$ cat /proc/cpuinfo
processor : 0
vendor_id : AuthenticAMD
cpu family : 15
model : 36
model name : AMD Turion(tm) 64 Mobile Technology MT-37
stepping : 2
cpu MHz : 2000.122
cache size : 1024 KB
fdiv_bug : no
hlt_bug : no
f00f_bug : no
coma_bug : no
fpu : yes
fpu_exception : yes
cpuid level : 1
wp : yes
flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt lm 3dnowext 3dnow up pni lahf_lm ts fid vid ttp tm stc
bogomips : 4002.31
clflush size : 64

[shawnlandden (shawnlandden)]

confirmed on phenom quad, worked in 32-bit, not working on 64bit

ECS NFORME9M-A

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

The powernowd package is obsolete, please do not use it. CPU frequency scaling is now handled by the kernel, so if you still have issues on a modern release, file a bug against the linux package.

[Steve Langasek (vorlon)]

This is not an appropriate way to declare a package "obsolete". If you think a package should not be used, file a bug to get it removed from the archive and *then* invalidate the bugs.

[Phillip Susi (psusi)]

This package is obsolete and has been removed from the archive. Closing associated bugs.